Une Derniere Danse
by myradi
Summary: [mm BalthierVaan] Balthier comes to realize that a solitary flower in the desert is more precious than any treasure he has ever stolen in his entire life. War threatens all of that.


**Title: **Une Derniere Danse  
**Fandom: **Final Fantasy XII  
**Pairings: **Balthier/Vaan  
**Rating: **PG-13  
**Warnings: **m/m sex (nothing too explicit)  
**Synopsis: **Balthier realizes that a solitary flower in the desert is more beautiful than anything he's stolen in his entire life.  
**Author's note: **Written for Taka, who will forever be the airship to my port. I was actually inspired by the song "Une Derniere Danse" by KYO, and thought it would make a lovely theme for Balthier and Vaan. I did my best to keep it spoiler-free so it should be safe for readers at any stage in the game.

**  
Une Derniere Danse  
**By myradi.neuf

_  
Avant l'ombre et l'indifference  
__Un vertige puis le silence_

I've found gold.

Desert-bronzed skin stretched taut across lithe muscle and bone. There was no questioning it; Vaan was a desert flower like no other. With his expressive eyes and dirty face, there was no hiding his exotic beauty. Though to any other resident of Dalmasca, his was but one dusted face among many, hardly a treasure to lose sleep over.

Perhaps that is why I was so drawn to such a strange jewel amongst this pile of stones. While he was nothing special, he was very special. He was a rare beauty hidden under layers of poverty and grime.

How I coveted those dusty blonde strands that adorned his head like a demented halo… an angel thrown unceremoniously from heaven to fall face-first into this hellish pit of sand… Yes. That sounded very much like our dear Vaan.

Oh, how I enjoyed watching his body flex and strain under the intense desert heat as he battled on and on and on… a dance of carnage and bare instincts that shot adrenaline through my veins from simply watching this child. Sweat drenched his skin and yet he would continue to fight, refusing to stop until his body had long since passed its breaking point.

And how I enjoyed being the first thing he would see when he finally came to, his eyes blinked open through crust and filth and flecks of blood from battle. A questioning look, "How did I get here?" followed by a sudden jolt of realization, his entire body coming to life all at once.

I would admire him in that moment, his body caught somewhere between alertness and weariness. How beautiful were his tired gasps through parted lips, the sight of color returning to his cheeks enough to take my own breath away. Long, sand-colored lashes fluttered in confusion as he regards me with silent eyes. He catches his bottom lip between his teeth, lightly chewing until it swells to a most inviting color…

I can already feel a familiar stirring within myself, signaling that my own carnal dance was about to begin.

Sharp gasps, steady rocking, the heavy _'thump, thump, thump' _as the bed pounds across the floor… somewhere between the dark and the indifference, we have time for these little pleasures. Lost in a sea of memories; war, sex, blood, loss, duty, honor…

I lean forward, capturing Vaan's flushed lips with my own, savoring the chaste whimpers that he emits. His thighs tighten around mine in a delicious way, his eyes uncertain as if to say: "if you stop, I'll hate you forever" and "if you continue, I'll make your life hell."

Hell has never looked so beautiful, my dear.

His lips part in silent scream and his head falls back, his entire body arching into mine in such a delightfully wicked way, and I wonder where you learned this artful tactic. I thrust into him harder, feeling my own release coiling within my belly. The moment seems to stretch on forever at this point, feeling so close and yet so far away all at once.

It's a pain that protects, which does more good than harm.

My usual composure is broken as I throw my own head back, growling out his name as he claws at my arms with his grubby nails. Thin pink tracks appear and soon pool with beads of blood, forming into tiny rivers that slip down and wet my palms.

I may die tomorrow, but that changes nothing. Happiness anchored in my soul, it's too much for a lonely man.

After tonight, we'll continue as we were. We'll share a knowing glance; perhaps the others will know it too? We'll gather our things, prepare for another battle… we'll keep fighting, Vaan, for more than you may even realize right now. We're fighting for much more than just a future for Dalmasca. We're fighting for a sky pirate and a thief from the slums.

We're fighting for the king of the skies and the desert flower.

We're fighting for one more dance.

But if I die tomorrow…

Thank you… for having enchanted my life.

Fallait seulement qu'elle respire 

_Merci… d'avoir enchante ma vie…_

****

Disclaimer: All characters are property of their respective owners. The song "Une Derniere Danse" is by the French band KYO, and I do not claim ownership of the lyrics used.


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